Follow The Butterflies
by RoseFice
Summary: Books and cleverness plus bravery...Ron and Hermione have been the best friends and sometimes at each others' throats. Here is a small moment of peace.


Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger belong to JKR. The song lyrics are "I Love You" by Sarah McLachlan.  
  
i"Oh and every time I'm close to you  
  
there's too much I can't say  
  
and you just walk away"/i  
  
Finals – Ron Weasley hated finals. Every year he would be surrounded by books and parchments at a table in the Gryffindor common room. Charms, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Divination, and Potions – thank Merlin they were not all on the same day.  
  
This evening, Ron sat in loose-fitting brown trousers and a rust colored sweater that almost matched his hair. His flame-red hair was in a mess that ruffled down the back of his neck. With quivering fingers, Ron held his quill over a blank roll of parchment.  
  
His wavering concentration was broken by the pattering of footsteps from the girls' dormitory stairs. Ron turned his head slightly to see Hermione.  
  
i"I have a smile  
  
stretched from ear to ear  
  
to see you walking down the road  
  
We meet at the lights  
  
I stare for a while  
  
the world around disappears"/i  
  
Hermione was wearing a little blue button-up blouse and black trousers. Her long, bushy brown hair was pulled away from her face. In her hands were a couple of books, four rolls of parchment, a quill, and an ink bottle.  
  
Hermione's face was slightly rosy as she walked over to the table Ron was sitting at and plopped down in the chair beside him. Ron fought the sensation of a swarm of tiny little spiders scurrying down his back.  
  
Spreading out her books and rolls of parchment, Hermione went to work studying. Finals must be getting to her too - not even a "hello" or "rack off". Ron turned his attention back to studying for his Charms final. He turned a page in the book and scribbled on his parchment.  
  
Minutes passed as Hermione had gone through her Transfiguration and Potions reviews. Her quill had only left the ink bottle twice. Ron fumbled with his Charm review and messy scribblings of the spells and the wand movements. He stopped for a moment, took a deep breath, and scratched his forehead.  
  
"Need some help," Hermione said in a whisper yet with a know-it-all tone.  
  
Ron turned his head, and in admitting defeat, nodded. Ron turned towards Hermione as she turned towards him. She took out her Charms book and review and laid it open between them.  
  
"Flame freezing," Hermione said as she pointed with her finger to the paragraph on a page. "It's quite easy. You only have to," Hermione said as she pulled her wand from a pocket of her trousers. She pointed her wand to the flames in the fireplace. With a commanding flick of her wrist, a little blue bolt exploded out of Hermione's wand and hit the flames. The fire instantly took in the bolt and became an ice sculpture.  
  
Ron watched in awe. He looked back at Hermione who had that clever smirk on her face.  
  
"Let's see you try," Hermione said and muttered to the frozen flames be as it was. The fire melted the ice and was roaring again.  
  
"Alright," Ron said. He placed his quill in the ink bottle and picked up his wand off the table. He pointed his wand at the fire, took a deep breath, and flicked his wrist as commanding as Hermione did. But all Ron did was send a flicker of snow over the fire in which the flames licked and cackled.  
  
"Blast," Ron sighed and placed his wand down the table.  
  
Frowning, Hermione shook her head and looked at Ron. Biting her lip, she saw that his hands were shaking. Without a sound, Hermione reached over and took Ron's right hand in hers. With her left thumb, she massaged the palm of Ron's hand.  
  
i"Let me surround you  
  
my sea to your shore  
  
my sea to your shore  
  
let me be the calm you seek"/i  
  
Ron nearly jumped at the touch of Hermione's hands. But as she massaged his hand, Ron took in a deep breath and said, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Calming you down, silly," Hermione said with a smile, "This always works for me when I get keyed up."  
  
Ron closed his eyes and took another deep breath. The calming effect of the massage made Ron lean forward towards Hermione. Moments passed as they sat there. Hermione slowly let go of Ron's hand.  
  
"Hmm...Hermione," Ron said as he lingered there almost falling asleep.  
  
"Yes," she replied as she sat there so still as Ron leaning towards her – dangerously close.  
  
"I think I'm calm now. You can...," Ron replied as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked into Hermione's brown eyes and was star struck.  
  
Without a word, Ron kissed Hermione on the lips. Sweet and delicate yet with a burning beneath, their lips touched for a few moments. Millions of thoughts passed like the winds that sent the migrating butterflies racing down the ravine to Hagrid's hut on a cool April day.  
  
i"Just you and me  
  
on this island of hope  
  
a breath between us could be miles"/i  
  
Then their lips parted. Ron blinked his eyes and took in a deep breath. Hermione's face was blushing as the corners of her mouth turned up to form a smile. Ron grinned softly and turned back to his books.  
  
i"...follow the butterflies..."/i 


End file.
